"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe..." (Ephesians 1:18, NIV).When I see a star, I tend to think of strength and confidence. I find myself putting my hope in this symbol when it is on a police officer or a flag, since it can create a feeling of security. I see, though, that this symbol does not ensure dependability. God, however, is always worthy of our hope.
If someone asked you to explain why you hope, what would you say? The other day, my friend expressed that she rather be sure of something rather than just hope in it. The dictionary defines hope in several ways. Yet, how does the Bible define hope?
The Bible teaches us that hope is not seen (Romans 8:24) and we must wait for it (Romans 8:25). As Christians, we hope in the promises made by Jesus Christ to love us and save us (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Hebrews 6:19 explains, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure..." (NIV). The Bible speaks of a confident hope in God's promises because they are trustworthy and grounded in love.
Romans 5:5 explains, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us" (NIV). The hope described here is not an unsupported optimism. It is a confidence in God's future promises and is based on God's love, expressed when He sent His Son to die for us to save us.
The Bible teaches us to hope in God, who, with His never-ending love, will always be there for us. Romans 5:8 explains, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (NIV). I pray that we will have hope and confidence in Christ and be able to show others His love.
